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benne - all messages by user

2/6/2004 7:56:47 PM
Pattern for my Uros I bought the mocha cream too but I`m making my cables and lace pattern in the Peruvian Alpaca, cactus color. It is such a beautiful soft green and the yarn is to die for. I`m sure I`ll be using stitch markers if I start to get confused. I do that on lace patterns, it is so much easier to do a quick check as you go. There are only so many yarnovers I can do in succession before I lose track. After all, this is the woman who didn`t recognize her own cell phone number when it showed up on her caller ID at home. LOL I`d love to see a pic of your sweater when you get finished. I`ll try and post a pic of my cables and lace if all goes well and I can pry the digital camera out of DH`s hands.;}
Benne
2/7/2004 8:35:46 AM
mustangjudy Rowan chippy pattern It is such a graceful pattern and your sweater turned out so beautifully that this is one I think I may find myself making several times - my DDs,me,me,me;} When I get my pattern, choose my yarn - ooh the fun part- and get started I`m sure I may have some questions. Thanks for your email address - it will go in my emergency #`s in my phone book.lol
Benne
2/7/2004 4:04:13 PM
casual cables Hey girls,

It looks like we are going to start a few days apart. I have some more hats I have to finish-I`m still in hat hell but I hope to reach purgatory this week.;} I have been sneaking and practicing a swatch of the alpaca in the cable stitch pattern because I just couldn`t wait plus I wanted to learn the pattern before I get into the real thing. It`s been so long since I did any cables but I am really enjoying it and guess what? They look good! Yes,yes,yes!
Queen of the chapeaus,
Benne
2/7/2004 4:04:13 PM
Casual Cables Hey girls,

It looks like we are going to start a few days apart. I have some more hats I have to finish-I`m still in hat hell but I hope to reach purgatory this week.;} I have been sneaking and practicing a swatch of the alpaca in the cable stitch pattern because I just couldn`t wait plus I wanted to learn the pattern before I get into the real thing. It`s been so long since I did any cables but I am really enjoying it and guess what? They look good! Yes,yes,yes!
Queen of the chapeaus,
Benne
2/8/2004 10:34:33 AM
Steek photos Here`s how I printed the steeking pics. I opened the post with the instructions and by holding down my left mouse button, highlighted the entire page including photos, held down the control button and hit the C (copy) key. I then opened Word and hit control and the V key which placed the whole thing on the page ready to print. You can do the post and pix separately but I liked having Bets baby GD and Mustangjudy`s sweater too. They`re both knockouts.
Benne
2/10/2004 7:15:08 AM
Great News for people knitting Lace Sweaters What a great idea! I make lots of lace patterns and I have ripped out all of it at times like MacChick. I HATE the idea of leaving a mistake and just cannot bring myself to do it. I will use this idea and my stitch markers on my next project. Thanks Theresa, you have saved me from some bad language and lost time. Okay, LOTS of bad language.lol
Benne
2/10/2004 4:54:36 PM
swatches from samples I cast on a few more stitches than is specified in the gauge so I have a stable number of stitches to measure, for example if the gauge says 14 stitches to 4" then I cast on 20 stitches. Then I measure my gauge starting on the 4th stitch knitted. That way I am not measuring the gauge on edge stitches. EZ says rows don`t count, if the gauge is right per inch, the stitch height will be right but I check the rows anyway.
Benne
2/10/2004 5:08:21 PM
White Lies Patterns Eileen, I suggest that you need to become a card-carrying member of the Sears Tool Club like my DH. Theresa and Eileen, I too love the White Lies designs but alas I am a hoot instead of a hooter. lol I did buy the Angelina Vintage Jacket pattern but now I think it might be too young for me even though I am vintage;} I will probably end up making it for DDs, one of whom is a hooter and the other is a hoot like her Mama. As far as lingerie goes, I used to have all of those little lacy nothings but I now find myself drawn to the institutional look, you know, the kind that goes with jeans and sweatsuits. Jeez, am I getting old or what?
Benne
2/10/2004 5:08:21 PM
White Lies patterns Eileen, I suggest that you need to become a card-carrying member of the Sears Tool Club like my DH. Theresa and Eileen, I too love the White Lies designs but alas I am a hoot instead of a hooter. lol I did buy the Angelina Vintage Jacket pattern but now I think it might be too young for me even though I am vintage;} I will probably end up making it for DDs, one of whom is a hooter and the other is a hoot like her Mama. As far as lingerie goes, I used to have all of those little lacy nothings but I now find myself drawn to the institutional look, you know, the kind that goes with jeans and sweatsuits. Jeez, am I getting old or what?
Benne
2/10/2004 6:35:59 PM
swatches from samples Christine,
I should have clarified that EZ is Elizabeth Zimmerman and that I was speaking mainly of garter or stockinette stitches. Many of her patterns are garter or stockinette stitch and are mostly knit in the round based on a mathematical formula for sizing. Obviously you are quite accomplished so I know who to call on if I need to refigure my pattern because the row size if off. I try to stick to similiar yarns so I don`t have to refigure since I`m lousy at math.;}
Benne
2/10/2004 8:21:41 PM
Lace shawl in latest cast on Hi Theresa and Eileen,
The Schoeller Stahl Merino is nice and I looked up the shawl pattern. It caught my eye when my Caston issue came. It is beautiful and does look like one to make over and over. I used Homespun to make a bunch of garter stitch shawls pour moi and assorted loved ones last year. My girls are crazy about theirs and I wear mine to work even on food shoots. My work shawls have to be machine wash and dry and one of my DDs machine washes and dries EVERYTHING so the Homespun was great for her. I already have some Homespun on hand for the first one. Then I could make it up in something really special next. Maybe I need to yarn shop. Somebody stop me! But first I have to finish all those WIPS and make my Alpaca cables sweater. Then there`s that lovely Uros to make up-hmm, maybe in a shawl? Theresa I`m counting on you to make it first and let us all know how it goes. No sweat with your new trick right?
Benne
2/11/2004 1:56:03 PM
Lace shawl in latest cast on I need to shop with you Theresa! At that rate you could clean up selling them. I really like the yarn for baby blankets, everyday hats and scarves and throws for those who MUST machine wash and dry. I have found the Homespun holds up well and would probably do even better if allowed to dry flat. I have washed and dried one of my shawls at least 6 times and it still looks good and thankfully, didn`t fall apart at the join. Guess my obsessive habits paid off.;] My oldest DD wore hers to a school basketball game w/her kids and she said all the women there came up and touched it and said,"oh, it`s so soft. How can I get one?" She wants me to knit some and let her sell them but gee, I don`t know, that would really cut into my knitting time but then again the money would buy more yarn. I`m on the horns of a dilemma. Besides I have no idea how much to charge. The garter stitch shawls I made went very fast, you know the old start with 3 stitches, ki,yo at the beginning of each row,etc. wonderful mindless knitting and a great carryalong. I must admit I have my eye on some trickier patterns for some Himalayan cashmere I got from Mr. Han on ebay and some Colinette marinette I got from Toadal on ebay. The hardest part is picking the pattern. I want to make them all. I know, one shawl at a time. Good luck with your Homespun and congrats on your shopping coup, you lucky wench.;}
Benne
2/12/2004 12:06:45 PM
Which Peruvian yarn would you most like to see restocked? I missed the baby silk and cashmere but I more than made up for it with the Uros and Highland Wool (yes, MacChick, I did get the ruby and it is incredible. I`m hoarding it like the real thing) The Alpaca is fabulous and I want all of the Peruvian in every color and just like MacChick, all the time. I`d like to have a magic yarn chest that refills with all these wonderful yarns. I actually dream about making things out of them. Truly a woman obsessed. I just get it all out and look at it and touch it even though I have to finish up some WIPS before I can start using it. I`m feeling especially virtuous about making myself wait but I don`t know how much longer I can hold out. I feel myself weakening now even talking about it. Maybe I`ll open that yarn bin just one time...maybe make just one swatch..
Benne
2/12/2004 4:43:29 PM
Lace shawl in latest cast on Oooh, you`re making the "Not your mother`s" ensemble. I have looked and looked at those patterns. I love the look. Let us know how they turn out. I have so many patterns in my head that say "make me,make me" but I think that combo is a winner. I`d love to see them when you`re finished. I check the Smiley`s online sales regularly, haven`t ordered yet, I`ve been too busy buying all the Peruvian at Elann ;} I too will have to defer on the shawls for a while-too much unfinished business. As far as spinning wheels go, I can get them by the truckload but yarn sales within 75 miles is limited to Wallyworld. My gosh, 15 million people-that blows me away, our entire county has about 15,000 and it`s a huge country by land mass. The idea of living in a city that big makes it hard for me to get my breath but you have to remember I was born in a county that at this date has a population of 2500 people. The house I was born in (literally-no hospital babe here) had no electricity or running water and as much as I love having those now-necessities I don`t remember days without them as a hardship although I know my mother and grandmother had to work very hard just to keep a house. It was just the way it was. I love to visit the Big Apple and Chicago but I hated LA. Any city that encases its river in concrete is not for me. But I digress, and I have needles waiting.
Not your LA babe,
Benne
2/12/2004 10:11:01 PM
Knitting and Dead relatives Go Bets! You and I are thinking on the same lines. My first thought was of the antique samplers girls made that told a story of their family. Barbara Walkers books could be a huge help. Theresa, if you have any information about the family members maybe you can get a sense of who they were, maybe what they dreamed, thought, their strengths or maybe even their weaknesses-I`m thinking of the Drunkard`s Path quilt pattern my grandmother made - pure irony since my grandfather made and ran moonshine. I`m free associating here-bear with me. If they migrated west - a wagon wheel,oak and acorn pattern for a woodworker, ship sails for the immigrants from the old country, the celtic cross is obvious, fleur de lys for the French, the wolf paws or bear claw stitch for the hunter, cross patterns,cloisters, or cathedral stitch for the religious-nuns,priests,clerics,there is a gorgeous grapes and grape leaf pattern I saw somewhere which would work for Italians, four sisters or the Shetland Twins pattern if that fits, traveling vine pattern for the wanderer,bowknot,slack line,anchor, or drunken sailor stitch for the sailor,trellis stitch or one of the many flower stitches for the flower lover,horseshoe pattern for the farrier,windmill pattern for the Dutch,lyre pattern for the music lover,fish hooks patttern for the fisherman,enchanted cottage pattern for the longtime lovers who lived happily ever after,sheepfold for the shepherd, hourglass cable for the looker,and last but not least, might I suggest the dry bones pattern for the murderer? Which, by the way, has me a little concerned considering your fascination with this perp.;} This is too much fun. I can`t wait to see more ideas.
Benne
2/12/2004 10:12:46 PM
Ballet pink is A Absolutely A.

Benne
2/13/2004 3:57:05 PM
Knitting and Dead relatives Theresa and Bets too,
I can`t tell you how relieved I am that you don`t have a rogue`s gallery in your attic.:} I misunderstood and thought the murderer you mentioned was in your family. I`m convinced that being a little crazy keeps you sane, it`s a matter of degrees. I too am interested in the human psyche and what could possible make someone be one of the people we see in the news. Unfortunately, several murders have occurred in my family, and seeing it up close only makes it more incomphrensible to me. I understand on some level the police officers in the line of duty and the robberies driven by greed but the one that haunts me is my 9 year old cousin and playmate snatched away by pure evil and now lying in a family cemetery with many other little children.

The loss of all the little children you found in your records is such a sad and common story in those days. Country and family cemeteries (in much of the South every family had their own cemetery, and many still do, on their land) are one of my fascinations and I have marvelled many times to see all the little headstones or rocks for the children. I wonder if you could find a stitch to symbolize the lost children in your family? I saw a wake stitch but that doesn`t feel right to me. Maybe something more in celebration of their lives no matter how short, or expressive of the joy they brought to their mothers. I`m not getting this down right to say what I want to say. Tough subject.

I did find a skyscraper pattern but I can`t find the grapes and leaves pattern I was thinking of. I saw it several years ago somewhere, and I remember the grapes were bobble stitch but the pattern was an Aran type if I remember correctly. I have every knitting magazine and book I ever bought so if I had it once, I have it now. I will consider it my mission to find it. I did find some grape patterns but not with the leaves. I also thought the brick pattern would work for stonemasons and bricklayers and the box stitch for dockworkers. The thing is, now we gotta work on the women. It`s harder to find stitches that symbolize all the things women did (and do). This could take some real brainstorming. Are you there Bets? Everyone?

I think this a terrific thing you want to do and what a treasure it will be.
Benne
2/13/2004 8:39:50 PM
on a lighter note, knitting on a Harley DH just told me he wants us to take another trip out West this year. We usually rent an SUV and just drive wherever we feel like-no plan. That`s how I found that great LYS in Taos. Anyway, he said, "let`s rent a bike, the big ElectraGlide (it looks like a recliner on two wheels) so you can knit while we ride." I guess he`s finally accepted his fate. I`m now trying to figure out a rig for my yarn so it doesn`t blow down the highway behind me. This could take input from those of you mechanically inclined. I`m really excited about the prospect of the trip - all those wonderful mission churches, the mountains, the YARN! I`m thinking my project should not be an afghan for this trip - definitely gotta be mindless knitting so I can still look at the scenery and scream at the appropriate times when a car pulls out in front of us. For sure, circular needles. I`m visualizing how we`re gonna look, we`ve gotta get somebody to shoot some pictures!
She who WILL knit,
Benne
2/14/2004 7:01:04 AM
on a lighter note, knitting on a Harley We won`t be riding the bike all the way. We`ll probably fly into Albequerque if we choose the southern trip, Farmington or Colorado Springs if we take the northern route. Sorry, Bets, we`ll miss San Antone. We`ll rent the bike and just take off somewhere. I love Colorado west of the divide and northern New Mexico. There`s this old hotel in Cimarron NM we visted once before and want to stay in this time. They have a murder mystery weekend and the hotel is supposed to be haunted. Apparently there was a shootout there and the villian was from a tiny town about 18 miles from where I now live. How wild is that?On a previous trip I met an old cowboy in his early eighties at the laundramat named John Taylor who was still breaking horses for a living.We were the only people there. I helped him fold his laundry even though mine was done just so he would talk to me and tell me stories. He was so embarrassed when we got to his underwear. Meeting him was one of the my all-time special experiences ever. How crazy is it that I had the best time of that trip at the laundramat? We had our bike on that trip and old friend of DH rode with us so the guys had dropped me off to do everybody`s laundry (typical). When I told them about Mr. Taylor I think they felt like they had missed something special and they had. Just imagine the people I can meet looking for yarn!
About this yarn rig, I definitely think,keep it small,one color. I think my fanny pack would work worn in front not completely zipped so the yarn can feed out. That way I can carry more than one ball at a time too. I think to run the yarn through a bracelet would keep it stable since this bike has a huge windshild and DH will be another windbreak. I`ve seen those little bags to wear on your arm so you can knit while walking that I might look into.
I definitely will want to find that Fiesta outlet. That`s worth a side trip if necessary and since DH is such a patient sweetie, I`ll just make that one of my priorities. Then I`ll find a post office. The one with the BIG boxes.;}
I`ll have to think about that bumper sticker. Maybe a play on "ride to live,live to ride". Knit to live,live to knit - not very original but very true.
I`m so excited!
Benne
2/14/2004 9:28:56 AM
on a lighter note, knitting on a Harley I like your variation for the bumper sticker, both fit.
Now for the dish - my real name is Benalyn (my mother made it up - I swear she was still out of her head from giving birth, she said she combined bena and lyn because she knew someone once named bena and she like it-easy for her to say). I pronounce Benne -benny,like Jack Benny. A lot of my original family calls me bfaye (faye is my middle name)or my real name which no one outside of the family knows how to pronounce which was a real pain in school. I have no Italian family that I am aware of and I can go way back but I like to think I`m an honorary Italian because I love Italian food so much, not to mention the wine, the art, the history, and of course, the yarn.
Motorcycles are a blast but admittedly, dangerous at times. My kids freak out when we take these trips but life is short no matter what - I tell them they`re too conservative. Just get out there right?
Benne, who also answers to any variation
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